Smile! Be happy, all is well

Foxconn workers hold a picture of Terry Gou, chairman of Foxconn Group, with Chinese characters reading, “Love Me, Love You.” Workers? They look young enough to be underage National Chinese Olympic team gymnasts.

AP Photo

The company that manufactures the iPhone and other tech gadgets recently held a mass company pep rally at a Chinese plant to ensure workers they are happy and to coax them to stop committing suicide.

The reportedly secretive Foxconn Technology Group had workers at one of its largest facilities fill up a nearby sports stadium to wave pompons, shout slogans and wave signs to help boost their morale and show them that suicide will not be tolerated.

According to the Associated Press story, the workers (the factory employs 300,000) were all dressed up in colorful costumes, waving signs and proclaiming beauties like “Treasure your life, love your family.”

I wonder if the phrase “or else” was implied or just explained later once employees got back on the line.

A high number of suicides have recently plagued the company, so much so that Foxconn actually installed safety nets around its buildings to catch employees who try to jump and end their iPhone-making misery.